Why are textbook prices so high?
Answer
The textbook market allows publishers to keep raising prices without consequences. The customers -- students -- can't shop around for the best deal (you can't buy a generic textbook). And there is little competition in the marketplace because just five publishers control 80% of the market. These problems have been compounded by high-priced, single-use access codes that prevent sharing and limit choices.
GCSC launched the Affordable Instructional Materials (AIM) initiative to address these issues, finding affordable alternatives when they are available without sacrificing quality. In fact, if students are more likely to obtain the affordable materials, their chances of academic success increase!